Monday, November 30, 2009

The turkeys have been carved and the trees are going up; the holiday season is upon us. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or others, CeDIR has resources to help create inclusive faith communities this holiday season.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Do your bones creak because of the cold? Because you slouch? Probably not. Causations like these are largely myths, as the Harvard Medical school points out in their article "Top 10 Things that Don't Cause Arthritis". Here are some mythical reasons for joint pain:

1) Overuse. Unless you're a jack-hammer operator or professional athlete, you are not at increased risk for arthritis.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Researchers from Stanford and the University of California San Diego have found a way to restore learning in mice with a Down syndrome-like condition.

The scientists administered xamoterol to mice who had three copies of one of their chromosomes (similar to the origin of Down syndrome). Before the tests, mice suffered neural degeneration and had difficulty learning to adapt to new environments; for example, they did not build nests when transferred to new homes and could not recognize patterns in audio tones. After the drug took effect, the nest-building and pattern recognition was restored.

The xamoterol worked by being converted by the body into norepinephrine, which is a natural neurotransmitter.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

An Introduction to Special Education in Indiana is a pamphlet developed by Cathy Beard at the IIDC's Early Childhood Center. The handy booklet details laws and services for parents of children in special education or burgeoning SE teachers.

The ECC is offering free copies until our stock runs low. Contact 812-855-6508 to obtain a copy. The CeDIR library also has several copies available for borrowing when the department runs out; email us if you're interested and an Indiana resident.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Special education in contemporary society: an introduction to exceptionality is a textbook for college students by Richard Gargiulo. In addition to a comprehensive text on policies, cultural diversity, families, and specific disabilities, the book features special sections in every chapter: interviews with individuals with learning disabilities, targeted teaching strategies, and suggested learning activities.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Job success for persons with developmental disabilities by David B. Wiegan is written for professionals in vocational rehabilitation, transition services or related work. The book describes proven methods for pin-pointing the strengths of clients with developmental disabilities, tracking down prime employment opportunities, and supporting the client after placement. Wiegan is the Executive Director of Mid-Valley Rehabilitation in McMinnville, Oregon with and has 30+ years of experience in job placement.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Elderburbia: aging with a sense of purpose in America, written by the IIDC's own Phil Stafford, is now on the CeDIR library shelves. The book examines how local environments shape the aging experience and outlines what makes a community elder-friendly. Elderburbia is especially useful to social workers, aging individuals and city planners looking to prepare for aging populations.

The Family Center on Technology and Disability invites you to join national AT experts Lisa Thumann and Karen Janowski to discuss a wide range of issues associated with instructional technology.

This is an opportunity to discuss both big-picture questions and the very particular ways in which teachers, therapists, parents, and students can use established and emerging technologies in ways that have proven effective in and out of the classroom. Whether you're interested in the growing use of social media tools, the current status of Universal Design for Learning, tech-supported professional development, or technology tools that link home and school, keeping up with technology requires commitment and we salute you for making the effort!"

Their website, http://www.fctd.info/webboard/index.php, provides details on reading transcripts of discussions, requesting the Family Center's "AT Resources" CD-ROM, and registering for announcements.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

On Thursday, November 19 at 9 pm, WFYI Public Television will present When Did I Get Old? Reflections on Aging Today — a new one-hour documentary that alternates studio discussions with aging experts and profiles of active seniors in Indiana. The special will be offered for broadcast on Indiana’s Public Television Stations.

When Did I Get Old was produced by the Emmy award-winning Gary Harrison in cooperation with the University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community and the Center on Aging and Community at Indiana University. The documentary focuses on Midtown Gary, Linton, Vincennes, and Bloomington, where residents attempt to improve public conditions and residents overcome personal obstacles.

For more information, contact Lori Plummer at (317) 614-0462 or e-mail lplummer@wfyi.org.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Indiana University at Bloomington is offering a seminar for advanced masters and PhD students in January, 2010. Coordinators have distributed the following information:

This seminar endeavors to address issues related to severe and chronic disability of children, that is, disabilities that are attributable to cognitive and/or physical impairment and manifest during the developmental period. The association between poverty and disabilities as well as the impact of socio-cultural factors on the manifestation and outcomes of developmental disabilities will be addressed, for example, the impact of HIV/AIDS on child development.

The aim of these seminars are twofold: Firstly to discuss common underlying issues in developmental disabilities by exploring commonalities and differences between specific disabilities to deepen our understanding of the challenges experienced, and secondly to enable students to develop and evaluate intervention strategies within specific socio-cultural contexts.

Topics will include issues relating to information processing, receptive and expressive language, augmentative and alternative communication, literacy skills, problem behaviors and self-regulation as well as transitional planning and employment in developmental disabilities. A focus on factors impacting on the sustainability of intervention in severe and developmental disabilities, in particular those related to family-centered intervention and community-based instruction, will also be addressed.

The format of the seminar will be an introductory presentation followed by group discussions based on the required readings in the field. Experts who have already indicated their willingness to participate in this course include: David Mank (Indiana Institute on Disability and Community), Lisa Pufpaff (Ball State University) as well as Lyle Lloyd (Purdue University).

The main seminar presenter and organizer is Erna Alant (PhD), previously Director of the Center for Augmentative and Alternative Communication at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. She is newly appointed as Professor and Otting Chair in Special Education at Indiana University and has extensive experience in severe disabilities and AAC in intervention, training and research in Africa and beyond.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Whether the proposed federal health plan goes through or not, US citizens will reap the benefits of a health insurance law passed by Congress last year: the Mental Health Parity Act. As of January 1st, 2010, all insurance plans covering more than fifty people will be required to provide the same amount of service for mental health as they do for physical. This helps ensure that individuals with depression, bipolar disorder etc. have equal access to care.

Make sure to review your insurers new regulations for 2010 to see how the changes will affect you, your charges and family members. Visit the New York Times article for a summary of the pros and cons of the new law. For more resources on mental health, look through our previous posts on the subject.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Hundreds of American colleges are joining up with a Georgia-based program which gives students with disabilities easier access to class materials than ever before. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighted the growth of AccessText Network, an online database that allows students with visual impairments, dyslexia, and other reading difficulties easy access to special textbooks. AccessText contains donations from the following publishers:

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Researching with children and young people: research design, methods, and analysis is written by E Kay M Tisdall, John M Davis, and Michael Gallagher. The book covers every step of the research process for undergraduate and graduate students of Early Childhood Studies, Education, etc. The authors walk students through designing research processes, choosing from modern methods of investigation, and analysis.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Teaching infants, toddlers, and twos with special needs is written by Clarissa Willis, PhD, a former associate professor of Special Education at East Tennessee State University. Her book covers environment, eating, play, communication, and other essential issues teachers and administrators face when working with children with developmental delays.